how to break thumb sucking

My DS is 17wks old and he use to rub his gums with his thumb to relieve the pressure from teething. it has now turned into thumb sucking. I sucked my thumb til the age of 9 and had to go through an EF5 tornado to quit. I lighty smack his hand, tell him no no and replace it with a pacifier in hopes that in a few days he will stop. However, in all honesty I have no idea.

My DS is 17wks old and he use to rub his gums with his thumb to relieve the pressure from teething. it has now turned into thumb sucking. I sucked my thumb til the age of 9 and had to go through an EF5 tornado to quit. I lighty smack his hand, tell him no no and replace it with a pacifier in hopes that in a few days he will stop. However, in all honesty I have no idea.

Let him do it, and in two years or so when it actually is an issue just wipe each of his fingers with some nail polish remover [I would NOT do that before age 2] and let it dry. The taste should turn him off from it.

Let him do it, and in two years or so when it actually is an issue just wipe each of his fingers with some nail polish remover [I would NOT do that before age 2] and let it dry. The taste should turn him off from it.

I wasn't worried about the discipline but he does understand. he throws fits while burping I put him in the floor for a few minutes pick him up continue feeding and when it's time to burp again he doesn't throw a fit. my theory behind the light hand smacks was that he would get tired of it and not put his thumb back in his mouth. I really don't think it's any different than slapping a 6 or 9 mo old's hand because they are moving and touching things they should. they wont understand the concept of discipline but it will register that if they touch that they get their hand smacked. . . same theory I'm shooting for.

I wasn't worried about the discipline but he does understand. he throws fits while burping I put him in the floor for a few minutes pick him up continue feeding and when it's time to burp again he doesn't throw a fit. my theory behind the light hand smacks was that he would get tired of it and not put his thumb back in his mouth. I really don't think it's any different than slapping a 6 or 9 mo old's hand because they are moving and touching things they should. they wont understand the concept of discipline but it will register that if they touch that they get their hand smacked. . . same theory I'm shooting for.

Your job right now is to keep your baby safe, secure, and stimulated. A crawling baby may be old enough to make mischief, but she's not old enough to learn the difference between right and wrong. Real discipline â€” the kind that teaches lessons and changes behaviors â€” will have to wait.

Even thoughyour baby can't grasp discipline, this is a great time to start practicing techniques that will work in the months and years to come. When she pulls on a lamp cord or sucks on a stereo knob, firmly tell her "no" and quickly redirect her to a safer activity. With her short attention span, she'll quickly forget about causing trouble.

No matter what your baby does, spanking, swatting, and yelling are never appropriate responses. Harsh discipline will only scare her and can even cause an injury. Shaking a baby can cause life-long brain damage or death. If you feel angry, put your baby down in a safe place, like her crib or play yard, and give yourself a short break to calm down.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

While some infants will start to understand what "no" means at around 6 months, most won't stop what they're doing in response to the word until they're somewhere between 12 and 18 months.

If you feel as though "no" is the word you say most often to your baby, try using words that explain why you don't want your baby to do what he's doing. For instance, when he tries to eat a piece of dog food, say "Yucky!" When he gets too close to the oven, say "Hot!" and so on. The stern tone of your voice will get the most important part of your message across.

It's also important to have places at home where your baby is allowed to play safely so you don't have to be the "no" police all the time. To cut back on the number of times per day that you have to say no, cordon off unsafe areas with safety gates, plug electrical sockets, and make sure dangerous or breakable items are out of reach.

The reason your child reacts to being set down in the middle of a fit is most likely because he has to take a moment to realize where he is and what just happened - it's the change of situation, not the benign discipline, that is causing him to calm down. On that note, setting your child down is a completely different playing field than smacking his hand 'lightly'. A child is NOT going to understand physical discipline at this age.

Just a few points:

Now that my baby is crawling around and getting into everything, how should I discipline her?

Your job right now is to keep your baby safe, secure, and stimulated. A crawling baby may be old enough to make mischief, but she's not old enough to learn the difference between right and wrong. Real discipline â€” the kind that teaches lessons and changes behaviors â€” will have to wait.

Even thoughyour baby can't grasp discipline, this is a great time to start practicing techniques that will work in the months and years to come. When she pulls on a lamp cord or sucks on a stereo knob, firmly tell her "no" and quickly redirect her to a safer activity. With her short attention span, she'll quickly forget about causing trouble.

No matter what your baby does, spanking, swatting, and yelling are never appropriate responses. Harsh discipline will only scare her and can even cause an injury. Shaking a baby can cause life-long brain damage or death. If you feel angry, put your baby down in a safe place, like her crib or play yard, and give yourself a short break to calm down.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

While some infants will start to understand what "no" means at around 6 months, most won't stop what they're doing in response to the word until they're somewhere between 12 and 18 months.

If you feel as though "no" is the word you say most often to your baby, try using words that explain why you don't want your baby to do what he's doing. For instance, when he tries to eat a piece of dog food, say "Yucky!" When he gets too close to the oven, say "Hot!" and so on. The stern tone of your voice will get the most important part of your message across.

It's also important to have places at home where your baby is allowed to play safely so you don't have to be the "no" police all the time. To cut back on the number of times per day that you have to say no, cordon off unsafe areas with safety gates, plug electrical sockets, and make sure dangerous or breakable items are out of reach.

The reason your child reacts to being set down in the middle of a fit is most likely because he has to take a moment to realize where he is and what just happened - it's the change of situation, not the benign discipline, that is causing him to calm down. On that note, setting your child down is a completely different playing field than smacking his hand 'lightly'. A child is NOT going to understand physical discipline at this age.

obviously you didn't read my prior post. it's not a form a discipline I am taking because I do know that he doesn't understand yet. however I believe he is smart enough to figure out if I touch that my hand gets slapped or if I suck my thumb my hand gets slapped. I do not do it hard enough to make him cry, just in hopes it will register and I enforce his pacifier more.

obviously you didn't read my prior post. it's not a form a discipline I am taking because I do know that he doesn't understand yet. however I believe he is smart enough to figure out if I touch that my hand gets slapped or if I suck my thumb my hand gets slapped. I do not do it hard enough to make him cry, just in hopes it will register and I enforce his pacifier more.

Obviously you don't understand what the word discipline means. You're hitting your kid's hand as a way of saying "Don't do that." It's discipline. I don't give a flying french fry if you're kid's a freaking genius ... does not change what you are doing, nor does it change the fact that he doesn't get it. If he did, don't you think that you wouldn't need to be posting this?

Obviously you don't understand what the word discipline means. You're hitting your kid's hand as a way of saying "Don't do that." It's discipline. I don't give a flying french fry if you're kid's a freaking genius ... does not change what you are doing, nor does it change the fact that he doesn't get it. If he did, don't you think that you wouldn't need to be posting this?

I heard at the appropriate age you can put felt bandaids on the thumb and they won't like the texture in their mouth. Personally I wouldn't do that for a while plus your lucky you don't have to hold the paci in lol. Good luck

I heard at the appropriate age you can put felt bandaids on the thumb and they won't like the texture in their mouth. Personally I wouldn't do that for a while plus your lucky you don't have to hold the paci in lol. Good luck

You are so wrong to do this it saddens me for your child. I say to each his/her own for a lot of things, but it sickens me to think of someone touching a baby in the manner of which you are describing. I wish I would not have even read this to tell you the honest truth.

You are so wrong to do this it saddens me for your child. I say to each his/her own for a lot of things, but it sickens me to think of someone touching a baby in the manner of which you are describing. I wish I would not have even read this to tell you the honest truth.

Agreed. I don't understand why smacking his hand "lightly" would even help. It won't register to him, and he won't associate sticking his thumb in his mouth to discipline for quite a while. I don't think "disciplining" (sp?) your 17 wk old is even possible is it? Like a pp said, even if he is a genius, you trying to discipline him at this age isn't going to do anything. I don't even know where to start to try and understand your thought process behind that.. I say let him suck his thumb. It's a soothing technique, and it won't be a problem for awhile. Good luck........

Agreed. I don't understand why smacking his hand "lightly" would even help. It won't register to him, and he won't associate sticking his thumb in his mouth to discipline for quite a while. I don't think "disciplining" (sp?) your 17 wk old is even possible is it? Like a pp said, even if he is a genius, you trying to discipline him at this age isn't going to do anything. I don't even know where to start to try and understand your thought process behind that.. I say let him suck his thumb. It's a soothing technique, and it won't be a problem for awhile. Good luck........

I think it doesn't matter how much everyone tells her that she should do it. She is the mother and she wants to raise her child this way. Just like someone might not agree on how u might put your baby to bed or how u dress them. I'm not saying I think it's right but I'm not saying that she shouldn't do what she thinks is right in raising her child. I strongly believe in spankings. Maybe not now but once my lo starts crawling and trying to get into things I will definitely be slapping her hands and telling her no.

I think it doesn't matter how much everyone tells her that she should do it. She is the mother and she wants to raise her child this way. Just like someone might not agree on how u might put your baby to bed or how u dress them. I'm not saying I think it's right but I'm not saying that she shouldn't do what she thinks is right in raising her child. I strongly believe in spankings. Maybe not now but once my lo starts crawling and trying to get into things I will definitely be slapping her hands and telling her no.

This is not good. It seems kind of harsh for such a small baby. They are barely learning to self soothe and you are taking away one of the only ways they can, to prvent something that may be no problem in the long run. My lo is 12 weeks and just now finding her thumb and I am fine with it because I dont want her to cry if her paci falls out.

This is not good. It seems kind of harsh for such a small baby. They are barely learning to self soothe and you are taking away one of the only ways they can, to prvent something that may be no problem in the long run. My lo is 12 weeks and just now finding her thumb and I am fine with it because I dont want her to cry if her paci falls out.

I say leave him alone. Let him do it! And when the time is right then that's when you teach him. My baby is about to be 16 weeks, I can't imagine smacking his little hands no matter what the cause. I'm not trying to be harsh, but he is only a baby. He will learn eventually, but obviously right now is not the time.

I say leave him alone. Let him do it! And when the time is right then that's when you teach him. My baby is about to be 16 weeks, I can't imagine smacking his little hands no matter what the cause. I'm not trying to be harsh, but he is only a baby. He will learn eventually, but obviously right now is not the time.

Robbix thank you for what you said.
to everyone else: I was asking for advice because I know that he wont get the hand smacking yet but for someone to think that spankings and hand slappings are wrong are going to have an out of control child. my main method of discipline will be time out once he is old enough to understand until then hand smacking will have to work once he is mobile. I don't understand how a year old child will understand that if I go over there mommy moves me, if he touches something that will hurt him I am going to smack his hand because that will send the message fast. I sucked my thumb until I was 9 yrs old (quit because I was in the EF5 tornado back in 99 and when I woke from a coma I didn't suck my thumb) I started it for self soothing and I wouldn't take a pacifier because it wasn't enforced on me, the same thing with my 17 yr old cousin, and she still sucks on her arm. my parents tried everything under the sun to break my habit and I didn't stop. yes self soothing is wonderful but I don't want the thumb sucking to become an unbreakable habit. I personal know the physical effects thumb sucking has on a persons mouth and for the longest time my teeth use to be my biggest insecurity, kids are cruel and will tease over everything. My son is not a genius but I do believe that babies understand more than what we give them credit for, their brains are developing more and more every day so who are to say that babies don't understand? I know what studies show but I also know that due to the May 3rd 1999 tornado I was suppose to die and the brain doctors said if I lived I'd be a vegetable and when I woke up I had test done and the doctors told my parents I couldn't cross the street by myself because I wouldn't be able to remember to look both ways. 12 years later I am going to college, I drive a vehicle on a daily basis, I'm a wonderful mother. That's more than recovery and more than a miracle, it's saying that when it comes to a brain infant or adult that doctors don't really know. so after everything I've been through I am certain that our infants know and possibly understand more than we think they understand. So I smack my son's hand, it doesn't make a popping sound, he doesn't cry so I don't consider that discipline, I see it as correcting a habit that could turn into something that is unbreakable. my parents didn't start trying to break my thumb sucking habit at and early age and it resulted into a hideous unbreakable habit. I would much rather try to break this now instead of trying when he's two because by then it's a two year habit and it's not so easy to give up. now that I have some advice and if this last until he's two I will try it but if you are going to judge me on my parenting make sure your nose is clean before you stick it up and look down on people because their choices aren't like yours. everybody has there own way of doing everything. so if my post sends you over the edge show maturity and just go back to what you were doing. I read these forums because some of the things have helped none of my friends have kids and babies dont come with manuals so I ask for advice but if I keep getting attacked for something I don't see any wrong in and something that might be successful I will stop reading and asking. put yourself in my shoes before you comment judgmental things, would you want people critiquing you on how you do things in your home?

Robbix thank you for what you said.
to everyone else: I was asking for advice because I know that he wont get the hand smacking yet but for someone to think that spankings and hand slappings are wrong are going to have an out of control child. my main method of discipline will be time out once he is old enough to understand until then hand smacking will have to work once he is mobile. I don't understand how a year old child will understand that if I go over there mommy moves me, if he touches something that will hurt him I am going to smack his hand because that will send the message fast. I sucked my thumb until I was 9 yrs old (quit because I was in the EF5 tornado back in 99 and when I woke from a coma I didn't suck my thumb) I started it for self soothing and I wouldn't take a pacifier because it wasn't enforced on me, the same thing with my 17 yr old cousin, and she still sucks on her arm. my parents tried everything under the sun to break my habit and I didn't stop. yes self soothing is wonderful but I don't want the thumb sucking to become an unbreakable habit. I personal know the physical effects thumb sucking has on a persons mouth and for the longest time my teeth use to be my biggest insecurity, kids are cruel and will tease over everything. My son is not a genius but I do believe that babies understand more than what we give them credit for, their brains are developing more and more every day so who are to say that babies don't understand? I know what studies show but I also know that due to the May 3rd 1999 tornado I was suppose to die and the brain doctors said if I lived I'd be a vegetable and when I woke up I had test done and the doctors told my parents I couldn't cross the street by myself because I wouldn't be able to remember to look both ways. 12 years later I am going to college, I drive a vehicle on a daily basis, I'm a wonderful mother. That's more than recovery and more than a miracle, it's saying that when it comes to a brain infant or adult that doctors don't really know. so after everything I've been through I am certain that our infants know and possibly understand more than we think they understand. So I smack my son's hand, it doesn't make a popping sound, he doesn't cry so I don't consider that discipline, I see it as correcting a habit that could turn into something that is unbreakable. my parents didn't start trying to break my thumb sucking habit at and early age and it resulted into a hideous unbreakable habit. I would much rather try to break this now instead of trying when he's two because by then it's a two year habit and it's not so easy to give up. now that I have some advice and if this last until he's two I will try it but if you are going to judge me on my parenting make sure your nose is clean before you stick it up and look down on people because their choices aren't like yours. everybody has there own way of doing everything. so if my post sends you over the edge show maturity and just go back to what you were doing. I read these forums because some of the things have helped none of my friends have kids and babies dont come with manuals so I ask for advice but if I keep getting attacked for something I don't see any wrong in and something that might be successful I will stop reading and asking. put yourself in my shoes before you comment judgmental things, would you want people critiquing you on how you do things in your home?

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